MicrosoftStudios

Ashen is one of those games that could be a hit or miss. It seems to have blocky/low polygon and stylistic graphics but may make up for this with smooth game play and an in-depth story. The real-time fighting looks very satisfying - we just want to see how skills, magic, and other aspects may work in this interesting looking world. A little multiplayer would be pretty sweet too.

“Acting as a direct sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest, Will of the Wisps once again has you playing as Ori, a white guardian spirit responsible for watching over the forest alongside Sein, the light and eyes of the sacred Spirit Tree.” –trustedreviews.com

AButtonGames Take

At Long last Sea of Thieves is out and prospering! Akin to an MMO Assassin’s Creed Black Flag this game seems to bring life into a long-loved genre: Ship Simulation. Although there seems to be some kinks that need to be sorted out, the game has vast potential to be amazing. We just hope that it amps up and not down (like No Man’s Sky). Check out what some reviewers have to say below.

Sea of Thieves Description

“Sea of Thieves is a new type of multiplayer game that delivers all you need to live the free-roaming pirate life. Whether adventuring as a group or sailing solo, you’ll encounter other crews… but will they be friends or foes, and how will you respond?” –seaofthieves.com

“Sea of Thieves is a role-playing game in the truest sense of the phrase, and the exchange below exemplifies its highs and lows. You are a pirate. You’re not a stealthy merchant with a silver tongue or a dwarven archer. There is only one choice in this world: pirate.

Diving into something so all-encompassingly pirate is pretty overwhelming at the start. Sea of Thieves gives you next to no direction on what you should be doing, apart from some brief tutorial pop-ups. Unless you’re willing to go online and hunt for it, you’ll basically spend the first few hours figuring out how to sail, how to do quests, and how to catch chickens in cages and sell them for a tidy profit.”

“You’re free to follow any faction as much or as little as you like, and building your reputation with each forms the game’s level system, unlocking more challenging commissions and increasingly elaborate equipment as you do so. Rather brilliantly, while there’s a level restriction to buy certain quests, there’s no such cap on who you take with you. Any crew member can suggest a voyage during a meeting in their ship’s hold, meaning a high-ranking pirate can drop a rare quest and take complete beginners with them. Rewards are shared equally at the end, so it’s a nice way to help give a young buccaneer a peg-leg up.

Structurally, MMOs are the closest comparison to what Sea of Thieves offers, but this pirate epic mercifully lacks the grind-heavy quest system that bogs down that genre. Here, it’s a base of exploration, inventiveness, and experimentation that provides both progression and fun, and the game is far stronger for it.

At this point, that’s both a weakness and a strength for the game. It’s so much more engaging to take on this world as part of a crew, but doing so requires far more real-world organisation than just jumping online to play whenever you’re free. There’s no real blind matchmaking system at the moment either, although you can invite anyone you meet in-game to join your crew. It’s a tricky balance – playing with complete randoms can be frustrating if there’s no agreement on what to do or consensus on play style, not to mention the potential for online abuse between strangers, but having to sail solo because no friends are online is a pain.

It’s also worth noting that, at time of writing, some players have encountered problems with Sea of Thieves since the servers went live. Difficulty logging on or certain quest-relevant enemies not spawning seem to be common issues. Personally, beyond occasionally taking a while longer than I’d like to load, it’s been smooth sailing. My positive experience may be in the minority there though, and Rare has acknowledged issues it needs to address going forward. More cautious players may want to wait for teething troubles to be sorted before setting sail

“One of Sea of Thieves’ biggest strengths is in its presentation. Visually, the game is absolutely gorgeous, from head to toe. I played it on the Xbox One X, which is a truly stellar experience in 4K with HDR. It features without a doubt the best water in any game, which is important as it’s where you’ll be spending most of your time. The rest of the world, though cartoony and simplistic, is bursting with the life and vibrancy that you’d expect from Rare. The sound of Sea of Thieves is equally impressive, with pulse-pounding pirate tunes during combat encounters, the sound of gentle ocean waves almost omnipresent throughout the game, and addictive songs that the players themselves can play as they journey throughout the world. This is not a title that you’ll ever want to play on mute.”

“The next installment in the critically acclaimed “State of Decay” franchise immerses you in an all-new, multiplayer zombie survival fantasy. Build a lasting community, working with other players or solo to overcome challenges while exploring your own unique story in a world that remembers the choices you make.” — stateofdecay.com

“Enter Crackdown 3’s sandbox of mayhem and destruction and become a Super-Powered Agent dedicated to Justice by any means necessary. Explore the heights of a dangerous futuristic city, cut through gang-infested streets in a transforming vehicle, and wield amazing abilities to dismantle a ruthless criminal empire. Developed by original creator Dave Jones, Crackdown 3 will deliver cooperative chaos and an all-new multiplayer mode where destruction is your ultimate weapon against friends and rivals online. Whether you’re playing the all-new Campaign or enjoying a truly revolutionary competitive experience, you’ll never look at open-world gaming the same way again.” — crackdown.com